Proposal to redesign R.I. Board of Education unveiled

PROVIDENCE, R.I.-- A proposal to split the governance of the new Rhode Island Board of Education into separate councils with statutory authority for kindergarten-grade 12 and higher education was unveiled during a public forum Tuesday evening at Rhod

PROVIDENCE, R.I.-- A proposal to split the governance of the new Rhode Island Board of Education into separate councils with statutory authority for kindergarten-grade 12 and higher education was unveiled during a public forum Tuesday evening at Rhode Island College.

The two-pillared structure mirrors the one that existed prior to last year's merger to create one state education board. Each of the councils would have its own commissioner and staff, though details of the staffing have yet to be worked out.

"Some people are going to say we're just going back to what (we) had," Clark Greene, who was appointed by Governor Chafee to facilitate the merger, said during a presentation. However, he said, that's not the case. "The centerpiece of this is a single board that is looking at system-wide issues."

By creating the two councils, Greene said, it will free up the board to focus on broader issues, including ensuring workforce skills. The proposal also recommends the 11-member board be expanded, possibly to 15 members.

The plan also includes the creation of an executive committee to advise the board, but the recommendation is not to have the college presidents sit on that executive committee.

The proposal was drafted by the board's executive committee with the help of an outside consultant.

It will be presented again Wednesday at a public forum at 5 p.m. at the University of Rhode Island, Alumni Center, 73 Upper College Hill Rd., Kingston.